1974 Map of Smyrna NE

About this map

Tilly serves as the primary focal point of this 1974 orthophotoquad, which uses aerial imagery to document the rugged topography of Pope County. The drainage patterns of the Middle Fork Illinois Bayou and Bear Creek carve deep, complex valleys through the landscape, dictating the placement of roads and small clearings. This photographic record, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey from imagery captured on April 9, 1974, provides a unique visual perspective that traditional line-drawn maps lack, showing the actual density of forest cover and the precise extent of agricultural fields in this part of the Ozarks. It offers a rare view of the rural settlement patterns before modern development altered the woodland boundaries.